cooking

As a busy condo owner living in a big U.S. city, I am always looking for ways to make my life both healthier and easier. I work nights and weekends, so there is little time for food prep and clean up. I’ve collected a few helpful kitchen secrets help shop, prep, create and clean up after a yummy meal or snack.

Snap ‘n Strain

This amazing little strainer attaches directly onto any pot or pan to drain liquid. Instead of wearing pads on both hands over the sink to spill the contents of the pot to a strainer, you can now do this in one quick motion & with just one single hand. The Snap ‘n Strain is made from durable BPA-free silicone.

Watermelon Slicer

This product is made by an Italian company called I Genietti, which translates into “The Geniuses” in Italian. The tool cuts watermelon neatly & evenly in one motion. It’s a stainless steel tool that is like a knife with tongs so you can cut, lift and serve a slice of watermelon! This is done without getting your hands dirty and without having to cut through the tough rind.

Snapi

This is a nifty little single handed serving utensil. It’s designed to “snap up” an entire portion of food without putting down your plate. The Snapi works best for scoops of salad and pasta!

Wine2go

I love these… have you ever gone to an outdoor concert or to the beach that does not allow glass? Wine2go is the perfect solution for this problem. Wine2go is a collapsible flask/wine bottle that is light, flexible and durable. It’s BPA-free and there is no taste transfer, so your yummy wine tastes just as yummy in the Wine2go flask as in the bottle. It’s also ideal for hiking, picnics and for outdoor festivals.

FORMcard

FORMcard is an ingenious kitchen secret, a moldable plastic card that melts in hot water & transforms into a “life hack”. It morphs into a make-shift phone stand, a kitchen tool handle or even a missing kitchen drawer knob/handle.

Bag Podz

Do you forget to bring your reusable bags to the grocery store? Bag Podz is the answer for you as you shop for your meals. Just clip this little pod onto the side of the cart and shop away. Bag Podz comes in a 5-bag or 10-bag set. These bags are durable and are stored neatly in their own personal pod.

OXO Grip Measuring Cup

I love these angled measuring cups with OXO’s famous Good Grips handle. The best part is that it’s easy for the cook to convert into both cups and ounces so it makes any recipe easy to follow. The angled gradations are imprinted on the inside of the cup so it’s super easy to read the units of volume from both the top or from the side. Bonus – it’s dishwasher safe!

Flex Pot Clip

This clip conveniently attaches to the side of your pot or favorite saucepan to hold your utensils. No more dirty spoons on the counter and the “dreaded” drip goes right back into the pot. It’s made with heat-resistant silicon and stainless steel so it’s both sturdy and safe!

Good Grips 3-N-1 Avocado Tool & Guac Lock Tool

This is a combo “life hack”. The 3-in-1 slicer halves the avocado, pits the avocado and finally slices the avocado so you can make some home-made guacamole. Next, the Guac-Lock keeps your guacamole fresh! The freshness is locked in by keeping the air out so the guacamole doesn’t brown. This air-tight container stores 12 to 24 ounces, is dishwasher safe and doubles as a serving dish. A must buy!

Hand Held Spiralizer

I’m currently trying to drop a few pounds, so I’ve cut out pasta and am replacing it with zucchini strands and spaghetti squash. The Good Grips Hand-Held Spiralizer by OXO helps you create pasta-like noodles. You can also use cucumbers, beets or make curly fries from Potatoes. It’s easy to use as there is a non-slip food holder that grips the veggie and makes perfect spirals from the veggies. Plus, the veggies are ALMOST as delicious as the real pasta with much fewer calories.

PalmPeeler

Here’s a great kitchen secret… I can’t live without PalmPeeler. It’s a fruit and vegetable peeler that slides onto the finger, fits ergonomically and comfortably into your palm and peels like a charm! It even has a potato eyer at the tip of the tool. The PalmPeeler makes peeling a breeze!

Click & Carry

Click & Carry’s magic handle allows shoppers to manage and carry multiple bags at once, either in your hands or over the shoulder for a hands-free carry. The key is to evenly distribute the weight on both ends of the Click & Carry so the handle can balance on the shoulder. This gadget frees up your hands to hold the baby or open the front door without putting down your groceries. I attach the loose bags to the Click & Carry while it’s in the cart, transfer the bags to the trunk of the car and then when I arrive home, I simply gather the handle, toss it over my shoulder and boom – I’m on my way without having to regather 5 or 6 loose bags.

Magical Kitchen Secrets

If you’re like me and pressed for time, kitchen secrets like these can make life a little easier. We hope you check them out, and if you have ideas of your own, please share in the comments. Our community would love to hear what you have that saves time and hassle around the kitchen.